Apparatus for unwrapping and dispensing of film sheets



April 2 1952 K. M. SANO ETAL APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND DISPENSING OF FILM SHEETS Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 April 1962 K. M. SANO ETAL 3,031,187

APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND DISPENSING OF FILM SHEETS Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG.3

FIG. I3

April 1962 K. M. SANO ETAL 3,031,187

APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND DISPENSING 0F FILM SHEETS Filed June 8, 1960 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I FIG8 FIG9 FIG 10 FIG.7

, Filed June 8, 1960 April 1962 K. M. SANO ETAL 3,031,187

APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND DISPENSING OF FILM SHEETS 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 FIG.||

FIG. l2

United States Patent 3,031,187 APPARATUS FOR UNWRAPPING AND DIS- PENSING OF FILM SIEETS Karel Marcel Sauo, Borsheek-Antwerp, and Frederik .Juliaan Van Landeghem, Mortsel-Antwerp, Belgium, assignors to Gevaert Photo-Producten N.V., Mortsel- Antwerp, Belgium, a Belgian company Filed June 8, 1960, Ser. No. 34,769 Claims priority, application Netherlands June 11, 1959 Claims. (Cl. 271-49) This invention relates to an apparatus for dispensing sensitized films from a pack, and more particularly to dispensing apparatus which can be used for dispensing such films from a pack wrapped films directly to receiving apparatus, e.g. a cassette, in an undarkened room.

If it is desired to dispense sheets one by one from a stack, it is possible to employ an automatic mechanism incorporating suction holders, rollers, compressed air, etc. for taking hold of and removing the sheets one by one from the top of the stack. However, for dispensing sheet films from a stack in which the films are separately protected by wrapping folders, such as for light-sensitive radiographic film which is coated on both sides with a sensitive emulsion-layer, said mechanisms are not suitable. The surfaces of such films are either allowed to rub over or against each other and the use of grippingdevices affects disadvantageously the sensitive layers of the film, even when such a film is packed in a wrapping folder.

A considerable improvement of the generally known mechanisms for dispensing sensitized films from a stack is disclosed in US. patent application Serial No. 4,707, filed January 26, 1960.

The object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for unwrapping and dispensing film sheets packed in a wrapping folder from a stack of such films.

The apparatus according to the present invention comprises a lifting and at removing mechanism, the lifting mechanism consisting of at least one movable and flexible friction pusher the rubbing force of which is thus regulated that by touching only the upper half of the Wrapping folder of the upper packed sheet film in anoblique way, this wrapping folder is bulged and the removing mechanism consisting of a horizontal trapezium-shaped plate on which a driven removing roller co-operating with said plate is mounted in such a way that on the moment of bulging of the upper half of the Wrapping folder, the removing mechanism is moved towards the stack of film sheets so that the trapezium-shaped plate is slid under the bulged wrapping folder, the upper half of which is gripped between this plate and the removing roller for removing same from the stack and evacuating it over the trapezium-shaped plate, while the film sheet which is pulled by the Wrapping folder is dispensed under this plate and is conveyed to a destination for a further use.

The stack of packed film sheets can also be stored in a container, which is provided with a light-tight closure in order to facilitate the change of differently sized sheets.

The change of the sheets can also be executed by providing the apparatus, according to the present invention, with a partition box in which different stacks with sheets of varying sizes are stored. in this case the lifting mechanism can be mounted aside of the storing stacks which are placed one above each other. Consequently, these storing stacks can arbitrarily be brought, one at a time,

in front of the removing mechanism by a vertical movement of the stack in view.

The apparatus according to the present invention is described hereinafter, and shown in the accompanying drawings without limiting, however, the scope thereof.

3,031,187 Patented Apr. 24, 1962 ice FIG. 1 is a schematic side-view of an apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a top-view of the apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a back-view of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the apparatus on line 4-4 of FIG. 1 before operation. i

FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the apparatus on line 44 of FIG. 1 when starting the operation.

FIG. 6 is a detail of the movement of the flexible pusher of FIG. 5.

FIG. 7 is a top-view of FIG. 6.

FlGS. 8, 9 and 10 are respectively the three successive phases for gripping the bulged wrapping folder by the removing roller. 7

FIG. 11 shows a modified construction of the slidingmechanism.

FIG. 12 is a top-view of FIG. 11.

FIG. 13 shows a modified construction of FIG. 5.

FIG. 14 shows a modified basic plate adapted to FIG. 13.

A driven removing roller 1 rests on a trapeziumshaped plate 2.. Both these substantial parts are mounted ona bridge-shaped plate 3. The removing roller 1 is driven by a motor (not indicated on the drawing) over a shaft 4. At both sides of the removing roller 1, two pivoting bars '5 and 6 are mounted in a vertically movable frame 7. The ends of these bars are provided with flexible pushers 8 and 9 which eflect a turning movement when the bars 5 and 6 are pivoting.

The turning movement of the flexible pushers can be effected by the touching of an oblique side 3a against members 28 and 29 attached to the bars 5 and 6.

Alternatively said turning-movement can be executed by the touching of a straight part, belonging to the bridge-shaped plate 3 (not indicated on drawing) against an oblique-positioned part of the flexible pushers 8 and 9.

At both sides of the bridge-shaped plate '3, two projections ltl and 11 are provided, receiving the ends of the two levers 12 and 13 for sliding the plate 3 front- Wards in frame 7. This frame 7 is only capable of ex ecuting a vertical movement by sliding into the fixed guides 14, 15', i4 and 15 with respect to the rods 16 and 17. In a modified construction rod 17 is replaced by a bar sliding into 14'. In this case cam 19 and its lever system with the fixed guide 15' are omitted.

A driven shaft 18 is provided with cams 19, 19', 24 and 2:3 which secures the lifting movement of the rods 16 and 17 and the turning movement of the levers l2 and 13. The first movement is given by a rocker-arm 20 which transmits the driving of cam 19 onto the rod 17, forcing same to move downwards together with the whole mechanism against the action of spring 22.

The second movement, viz. the frontward sliding of the bridge-shaped plate 3 with the removing mechanism is executed in a horizontal direction by two levers 12 and 13 which are driven by earns 24 and 25 over the intermediate bars 22 and 23.

A container filled with a storing stack (FIG. 1) of e.g. light-sensitive film sheets 26 packed in a wrapping folder 27 is made ready for the operation of unwrapping and dispensing one sheet at a time, by the apparatus as described hereinbefore. The pushers 8 and 9 are placed in a normal position above the storing stack so as to point the flexible ends in an oblique way towards the storing stack.

Referring to FIGURES 1 to 10 of the drawings, the operation is effected as explained hereinafter.

When starting a motor, the shaft 18 performs a complete revolution. During this revolution the rods 16 and i7 and the whole removing mechanism supported by these rods are moved downwards by the cams 19 and 19 in such a way as to allow the vertically movable frame, containing the touching member 7a, to rest on the storing stack. At the same time, the bars 22 and 23 and the levers 12 and 13 are driven by the cams 24 and 25 thus forcing the trapezium-shaped plate 2, to slide frontwards. While effecting a turning movement, the pushers 8 and 9, which rest on the storing stack move to each other. It is clearly shown in FIGS. 4 to 7 that during this turning movement the pushers 8 and 9 force the upper half of the Wrapping folder 27 of the film 26 to bulge, whereby a space 32 is formed under this sheet. The film 26 maintains its flat position. It is to be mentioned that the wrapping folder 27 can also sufficiently be bulged by only one of the two pushers, for example as shown in FIGURES 11 to 14 which are hereinafter described. 4

While effecting the progressive horizontal movement of the plate 2, its trapezium-shaped side is slid into space 32 to intercept the wrapping folder 27.

When the horizontal movement of the plate 2 with the removing roller 1 has stopped, the wrapping folder 27 is gripped between both these elements and as the removing roller 1 is driven, the wrapping folder 27, together with the film sheet 26 are removed from the storing stack.

The wrapping folder is guided over the plate 2 between the driven rollers 33 and 34 and is evacuated outside the apparatus whilst the film 26 is dispensed under the plate 2 and is received in a channel 45 which conveys the film to a destination for a further use.

In case the same apparatus is used for manipulating storing stacks containing sheets of varying sizes, the apparatus has to be constructed otherwise. A modified construction suitable for this purpose is shown in FIGS. 11 to 14. The film sheet storing stacks 35 and 36 are put above each other on the rack 37. They can, arbitrarily, be placed on the same level with the removing mechanism.

As described herein-before this apparatus (FIG. 11) comprises a driven removing roller 1 and a co-operating trapezium plate 2. The whole mechanism is mounted on a horizontally movable bridge-shaped part 3 and rests on an up and downwards moving frame 7.

The difference in construction is indicated by the omittance of a pusher. Indeed, only one pusher 38 is used, mounted aside of the rack 37 in order to prevent any hindrance of the vertical movement of the rack.

The pusher 38 is moved around pivot 39 to reach above the storing stack 36 by a bar 40. 'In its turn this bar 40 is pushed frontward by the part 41 of the bridgeshaped plate 3, which presses on the heel-forming part 42. During a further frontward sliding of the mechanism comprising the roller 1 and the plate 2, the heel forming part 42 rests on the oblique side of the bridgeshaped plate 3 and pushes the bar 43 gradually around its pivot 44 so as to keep the bar 43 free from the storing stack while the pusher 38 rests on this stack forcing the upper half of the wrapping folder 27 of the upper film sheet 26 to bulge. This operation is shown in FIG. 13, whereby one side of the rack containing the storing stack 36, serves as a support for the Wrapping folder during the movement of the pusher 38. The plate 2 can also be constructed asymmetrically as shown in FIG. 14 for facilitating the interception of a paper sheet which bulges at one side only.

The mechanism according to the present invention is preferably used for loading the film sheets after dispensing, either into a receiving channel or receiving space or directly into a cassette of a cassette loader of the type described in US. patent application Serial No. 4,694, filed January 26, 1960.

We claim:

1. Apparatus for unwrapping and dispensing individual film sheets from a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising cooperating lifting and removing mechanisms, said lifting mechanism including at least one movable and flexible pusher, means for contacting said pusher for frictionally engaging the wrapper with the wrapper on a wrapped film sheet and for adjusting the contacting force of said pusher with said wrapper, means for moving said pusher after said pusher is in contact with said wrapper to deflect a portion of said wrapper from said film sheet, engaging means on said removing mechanism for engaging said deflected portion of said wrapper after said wrapper has been deflected from said film sheet, and gripping means on said engaging means for gripping the deflected portion of said wrapper and for removing said wrapper and said film sheet from said stack, said gripping means removing said wrapper from said film sheet as said film sheet is removed from said stack.

2. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets from a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising cooperating lifting and removing mechanisms, said lifting mechanism including two movable and flexible pushers for frictionally engaging the wrapper in spaced apart relation, means for contacting said pushers with the wrapper on a wrapped film sheet and for adjusting the contacting force of said pusher with said wrapper, means for moving said pushers after said pushers are in contact with said wrapper to deflect a portion of said wrapper from said film sheet between said pushers, engaging means on said removing mechanism for engaging said deflected portion of said wrapper after said wrapper has been deflected from said film sheet, and gripping means on said engaging means for gripping the deflected portion of said wrapper and for removing said wrapper and said film sheet from said stack, said gripping means removing said wrapper from said film sheet as said film sheet is removed from said stack.

3. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets from a stack of wrapped film sheets comprising a first support for mounting wrapped film sheets, a second support mounted adjacent to said first support, wrapper deflecting means, and wrapper engaging and gripping means mounted on said second support, said deflecting means comprising at least one movable and flexible pusher for frictionally engaging and deflecting a portion of the wrapper from said film sheet, means for moving said wrapper engaging and gripping means on said second support into a first position in timed relation as said wrapper is deflected to engage the deflected portion of said wrapper on said film in said first support and into a second position to remove said wrapped film from said first support and to unwrap said film sheet as said sheet is removed from said first support.

4. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets from the top of a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the Wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising co-operating lifting and removal mechanisms, said lifting mechanism comprising at least one movable and flexible pusher, means for rotating said pusher to contact and deflect a portion of said wrapper to form a bulge therein, said removal mechanism comprising a plate and a roller in engagement to form a nip therebetween for engaging the bulge portion of said wrapper, means for reciprocating the plate and roller in timed relation with said lifting mechanism to engage the bulged portion of said wrapper as said lifting mechanism deflects said wrapper, means for rotating said roller in a direction away from said wrapper to draw said wrapper from said stack of wrapped filmsheets into said nip and withdraw and unwrap said film from said stack.

5. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 wherein the plate is a trapezium-shaped plate.

6. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 including dispensing rollers to receive said film wrapping as it is drawn between said plate and said first mentioned roller.

7. Apparatus as recited in claim 4 including means for maintaining said pusher at a spaced distance from the top of said stack of wrapped film sheets to effect a minimum pressure by said pusher on the top film sheet when said pusher contacts and deflects the wrapper there- 8. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets from the top of a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising a first support for a stack of wrapped film sheets, a second support containing thereon a trapezoidal removal plate, two movable and flexible pushers, and a rotatable removing roller, said roller being positioned directly above said plate to form a nip therewith, means for positioning said second support in spaced relation to said first support so that the pushers on said second support contact a portion of the wrapping on said wrapped film sheet on the top of said stack of sheets, means for rotating said pushers to deflect a portion of said wrapper, means positioning the nip formed by said plate and said roller in engagement with the deflected portion of said wrapper, means-rotating said roller in a direction away from said first support whereby as said roller engages said wrapper and rotates said film sheet at the top of said stack is removed from said stack and said wrapper is separated therefrom. I

9. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets in a continuous manner from a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising a frame, a first support positioned in spaced relation to said frame for supporting a stack of superimposed wrapped film sheets in a plane, a second support mounted on said. frame, at least one movable and flexible pusher pivotally port in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the wrapped film sheets in timed relation to the vertical movement of said frame, said movement of said second support pivoting said pusher in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wrapped film sheets, said second support moving in a direction toward said film sheets as saidv frame is moved in a downward vertical direction and said pusher rotating in a first direction into contact with the wrapper on said film sheets with a reverse movement of said second support when said frame is moved in an upward vertical direction and said pusher is rotated in a second direction out of engagement with the wrapper on said film sheet, so that, when said frame is lowered into contact position with said film sheets the second support containing said roller and said plate forming said nip moves forward and said pusher contacts the wrapper on the upper film sheet and forms a bulge in said wrapping as the pusher is rotated into contact with said wrapper, said plate entering saidbulge and engaging said wrapper in the nip between said removing roller and plate, means for rotatsaid plate drawing said engaged wrapping between the nip portion of said roller and said plate and dispensing said removed film sheet under said plate, thereby removing said wrapper from said film sheet, after said film sheet is removed from said stack and said wrapper has been removed, said frame, said second support and said pusher reversing their direction of movement and returning to their initial position for recycling to dispense the following wrapped film sheet on said stack.

10. Apparatus for dispensing and unwrapping individual film sheets in a continuous manner from a stack of wrapped film sheets wherein the wrapping forms a covering on both sides of the film sheet comprising a frame, a first support positioned in spaced relation to said frame for supporting a stack of superimposed wrapped film sheets in a plane, a second support mounted on said frame, two movable and flexible pushers pivotally mounted on said second support, a removal plate on said second support, a rotatable removing roller on said second support, said roller and said plate forming a nip therehetween, moving means for raising and lowering said frame in a substantially vertical direction relative to the plane of the wrapped film sheets into and out of contact with said film sheets, means for moving said second support in a plane substantially parallel with the plane of the wrapped film sheets in timed relation to the vertical movement of said frame, said movement of said second support pivoting said pushers in a plane substantially perpendicular to the plane of the wrapped film sheets, said second support moving in a direction toward said film sheets as said frame is moved in a downward vertical direction and said pushers rotating in a first direction into contact with the wrapper on said film sheets with a reverse movement of said second support when said frame is moved in an upward vertical direction and said pushers are rotated in a second direction out of engagement with the wrapper on said film sheet, so that, when said frame is lowered into contact position with said film sheets the second support containing said roller and said plate forming said nip moves forward and said ushers contact the wrapper on the upper filrn sheet and form a bulge in said wrapping as the pushers are rotated into contact with said wrapper, said plate entering said bulge and engaging said wrapper in the nip between said removing roller and plate, means for rotating said removing roller relative to said plate in a direction to remove said engaged wrapper and said upper film sheet from said stack of film sheets in timed relation with the bulging action of said pushers, said roller and said plate drawing said engaged wrapping between the nip portion of said roller and said plate and dispensing said removed film sheet under said plate, thereby removing said wrapper from said film sheet, after said fiim sheet is removed from said stack and said wrapper has been removed, said frame, said second support and said pushers reversing their direction of movement and returning to their initial position for recycling to dispense the following wrapped film sheet on said stack.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,428,331 Johnson Sept. 5, 1922 2,569,692 Rockwell Oct. 2, 1951 2,907,566 Gifien Oct. 6, 1959 FOREIGN PATENTS 139,435 Sweden June 7, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent N0. 3,031, 187' April 24, I962 Karel Marcel Sano et 31.

It is hereby certified that error appears in the above numbered patent requiring correction and that the said Letters Patent should read as corrected below.

Column 3, line 18, for "slid" read slided l1ne 35, for "the" read a column 4, line 3 strike out "for frictionally engaglng the wrapper" and insert the same after "pusher" in line 2 same column 40 Signed and sealed this 23rd day of October 1962.

(SEAL) Attest:

ERNEST w. SWIDEH DAVID LADD Attesting Officer Commissioner of Patents 

